ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

New Zealand Tablet, 31 July 1913, Page 24

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) ! July 26. A very pleasant and successful euchre party took place at St. Patrick’s Hall on last Wednesday evening on behalf of the funds of the St. Mary’s Christian Doctrine Society. It has been. definitely decided that the consecration of the Most Rev. Dr. O’Shea, S.M., as CoadjutorArchbishop of Wellington, will take place on Sunday, August 17, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Hill street. Very Rev. Father Ryan, S.J., of Melbourne, will preach the consecration sermon. Miss Cecilia Dwyer, a distinguished pupil of St. Mary’s Convent in the Trinity College of Music examinations for 1912, has gained the special gold medal presented by Mrs. T. G. Macarthy. Miss Dwyer achieved the distinction of Associate Pianist of Trinity College, and received her medal from his Excellency Lord Liverpool at a function which was presided over by the Hon. R. A. Loughnan. . Sister G. O’Flaherty, 8.P., presided over . last Monday’s meeting of the ladies’ branch of the H.A.C.B. Society, when there was a good attendance of members. Regret was expressed at the departure of Bro. J. W. Callaghan, senior trustee for the branch, for Napier. Bro. Callaghan had taken a keen interest in the branch, and his departure will cause a vacancy that will be hard to fill. The concert and social in aid of the St. Vincent de Paul School, Northland, held in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last evening, ■ proved very successful. The attendance, which included the Rev. Father Hickson, S.M., Adm., numbered upward of 200 persons. Items were contributed by the Basilica Choir, Mrs. Blythe, and the Misses Henderson and MoSherry, and Messrs Twohill, H. N. Fletcher, Newton, and R. Sievers. A very enjoyable evening concluded shortly after midnight. At the school ' committee elections recently three Catholics managed to secure seats on the Berhampore committee. This evidently did not meet with the approval of certain individuals who managed to upset the election on trivial grounds. A second meeting was called for last Monday evening, when the large school was barely sufficient to accommodate the crowd that attended. It is estimated that some 500 persons attended with the result that the five Catholics who were nominated were badly beaten. It is a significant fact that at the first election the 35 Catholics who were present were able to command a majority, whilst at the second, with an attendance of 56, they were outnumbered by over 5 to 1. This speaks for itself, and comment is unnecessary. A meeting of the Catholic Immigration Committee was held at St. Mary’s Presbytery on Thursday, July 24 Nine members were present, the chair being occupied by the president (Mr. Girling-Butcher). A letter was read from Mrs. Reichel urging the necessity for a determined demand for the privilege afforded the C I CD by the Immigration Department. The sub-committee set up to inquire for Catholics willing to assist in housing immigrants gave an excellent report of their successful efforts, but the C.I.C. realise more and more the necessity of a hostel of their own. Two vessels the Arawa and the Ruahine, have been met since the last meeting, but under very great difficulties. Owing to the quarantine regulations they had to be awaited at the wharf, thereby giving little scope for the work of the C.I.C. ~ J L he 9 uarterl y meeting of the Particular Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society was held at the presbytery, Patterson street, on Sunday, July 20. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea presided, and the Rev. ■rather Hurley and 35 members were present, including (ire fW fr T I C h ist t "' Ch - Th vice-president (Brc. Ellis), on behalf of the society, welcomed the

president (Bro. M. Kennedy, K.S.G.) on his return irom Europe, and. expressed the hope that Bro. Ken--nedy would see his way clear to continue in office. Bro. Bills also announced mat arrangements had been made by which the society would be represented at the Juvenile Court, and would see that sa isfactory arrangements were made for tlie care of all Catholic children committed by the court. He reported that the formation of the Particular Council of Wanganui, which now embraced all the conferences within the deanery of Wanganui. Bro. Ellis referred to the approaching departure of Bro, J. W. Callaghan (president of the Sacred Heart conference, Thorndon), and expressed the best wishes of the brothers for his future welfare. Reports were read from the following —Palmerston North, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganu’, Levin, St. Mary's,. St. Joseph’s, St. Anne’s, Immaculate Conception, Thorndon, Petone, Hawera, Aramoho, Otaki, and Masterton. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea made a few congratulatory remarks oh the success of the work reported, and especially on the formation of a Particular Council at Wanganui. He promised every assistance to the Society in his travels through the archdiocese. Bro. Kennedy thanked the members for their hearty welcome, and congratulated the society on the progress made during his absence. Owing to his advancing years he found he could no longer give the office of president the amount of work it required, and he had decided therefore to resign the position. The resignation was accepted with regret, and Bro. B. Ellis was appointed as his successor/ The meeting expressed the hope that arrangements would be made for the exchange of reports between the, Wellington and the Wanganui Councils. Owing to the amount of business the paper which was to have been read by Bro. Rae was postponed until the next meeting. A POPULAR HIBERNIAN HONORED. (From our own correspondent.) The great esteem in which Mr. J. W. Callaghan is held by me Hibernians of Wellington was evidenced by the large attendance of the members of the male and female branches of the City of Wellington and the Hurt at the Wellington Hall, Boulcott street, last Thursday evening, to bid him and Mrs. Callaghan farewell. Mr. Callaghan is leaving for Napier to become business and traffic manager of the tramways in that town. Bro. P.D. Hoskins presided, and there were also present his Grace Archbishop O’Shea, the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M. (Provincial), the Rev. Fathers Walsh (Lower Hurt), and McMenamin (Petone), and Mr. Geo. Girling-Butcher (chairman of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Catholic Federation). Letters of apology were received from Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, Rev. Fathers Hickson and Herring (2), Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, and others. The chairman explained the object of the gathering and welcomed his Grace and the clergy. His Grace, on rising to speak, was enthusiastically received. He said he desired to express his appreciation of the great services rendered to the Catholic cause by Mr. Callaghan, especially in regard to the interests of the Hibernian Society. He had been associated with Mr. Callaghan in various matters for some years, and he could speak with a good knowledge of his earnestness and devotedness in all matters connected with the Church. He regretted exceedingly Mr. Callaghan’s departure from the city, and congratulated him on receiving such an important appointment, and was indeed most thankful that whilst he was leaving Wellington he would still be within the archdiocese, and that he would continue the good work in Napier. In conclusion, he wished Mr. and Mrs. Callaghan every success, and trusted that his future advancement would bring him back to Wellington to labor amongst them once again. Bro. Callaghan was then the recipient of several presentations, the first being a handsome sideboard, presented by Bro. J. A. Sullivan (president of St. Patrick’s .branch). Bro. Sullivan said that Bro. Callaghan’s connection with the branch had extended

over fifteen years, and members were aware of the great work' which he had done for 'the branch during that period and for Catholicity in general. He regretted exceedingly Bro. Callaghan’s departure, and assured him of tne appreciation which the members had for him and of their best wishes for his future success. Bro. Hodgins, on behalf of the liutt branch, presented Bro.Callaghan with a case of pipes. Bro. Hodgins said that it was through Bro. Callaghan’s efforts chat the Hutt branch was formed, and as the officer that performed the opening ceremony and had watched its welfare ever since, he wished on behalf of the members to express their appreciation and their best wishes for his future success. Bro. J. A. Humphrey, on behalf of the Sacred. Heart branch, Thorndon, presented Bro. Callaghan with a solid silver cut-glass epergne. Bro. Callaghan filled the office of secretary of that branch, and also performed the opening ceremony. For St. Aloysius’ branch Bro. John Fagan handed Mr. Callaghan a silver teapot and handbag for Mrs. Callaghan. This branch also owed Rs formation to the efforts of Bro. Callaghan. Sister Gertrude O’Flaherty, president of the ladies’ branch (St. Mary’), presented him with two Morris chairs, and in doing so paid a high tribute to his great work for Hibernianism and also to Mrs. Callaghan for her sacrifice, of her husband’s time for the furthering of the cause of Catholicity. Mr. Callaghan, in responding, was greeted most enthusiastically. Words, he said, failed to adequately express his feelings. He desired, on behalf of Mrs. Callaghan and himself, to thank the branches for their handsome gifts. Too much, he said, had been said about the work which he accomplished, but nothing could be done unless branches were well officered, and during his sojourn of fifteen years in Wellington that had been the case. He exhorted them to continue the good work, and make the Hibernian Society a power for good. He regretted exceedingly his departure. Mr. and Mrs. Callaghan were heartily cheered. The remainder of the evening was spent socially, the following contributing items: —Misses Jansen, Una Simon, Griffin, Lyons, Gregory, Curtice, A. Sullivan, and Messrs. C. McErlean, J. A. Sullivan, Thos. P. and M. McCarthy, Craig, Bradley, and Jules Simon. The arrangements of the evening were carried out by Miss G. O’Flaherty, of the ladies’ branch, and she was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation.